DAILY LENTEN DEVOTION: Saturday, March 15 Luke 5:27-32: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” This portion of today’s reading was Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and other scribes who questioned his action of calling Levi [Matthew], a tax collector, to discipleship and accepting Levi’s invitation to come to a banquet in his honor where guests sitting at the table with them would include “a crowd of tax collectors and other sinners.” Levi was a man from a particularly hated class of people. As a tax collector for the Romans, he would have suffered the scorn of the Pharisees. But Jesus’ message in Verse 31 is clear: Our Lord does not care what others may think about a person, or how others may value a person. He loves outcasts and the unloved. He loves us as we are. He comes for those who are in need and who are struggling. He comes “not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Verse 32) Levi did not hesitate. Jesus said, “Follow me.” And Levi left everything and followed him. We can understand why Levi would want all his friends and fellow sinners to meet Jesus, the one who set him free from hopelessness. And Jesus did not hesitate. He and his disciples were pleased to eat and drink with the very ones the “church crowd” avoided. How else could they share the Good News of the kingdom of God with those who needed most to hear it? This passage of scripture not only illustrates the love Jesus has for sinners but provides a clear picture of how believers are to live. We may not be tax collectors, we may not be thieves and murderers, but we are all sinners (…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23). Our Lord loves and accepts us, despite our sinful nature, and invites us into fellowship with him. Thanks be to God! PRAYER Gracious Lord, free us from our sin and teach us to live a Godly life. Keep us steadfast in faith and guide us in our daily lives to do what is pleasing in your sight. Give us the faith of Levi to respond to your call to follow you without hesitation and with joy for the opportunity to serve you. Amen. Beatrice Weimer, Interim Chair, Evangelism Committee
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 11:00:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015